let them come home

Isaac Moore, 27: the protector of the team. He’s been tasked with keeping them all safe, but he tasks himself with so much more. He’s been trained to fight the crime syndicates since he was a teen. He’s brave, protective, and would do anything for the team’s youngest member, Sam.

~

Sam Vasterling, 19: the youngest and newest member of the team. They are Isaac’s little sibling in every way but blood. They’re sweet, devoted, and loved. They didn’t want this life, but that choice was taken away when they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Now they’re part of the ragtag team, learning how to survive.

~

Gavin Stormbeck, 24: the son of the Stormbeck crime syndicate. He grew up learning to hurt people at the command of his parents, and has never known any life but the world he was born into. When he meets Isaac, he realizes there is something outside his own blood-soaked world, and would do anything to find out more.

~

Vera Novak, 36: a fighter in every way, and Isaac’s best friend. She became a cop to fight the syndicates, and learned the cruelty of the syndicates better than most. She fights by Isaac’s side to keep the team safe. She’s fiercely loyal to her family and would do anything to protect them... including hiding her dark past. 

~

Gray Uriah, 52: Gray is the heart and leader of the team. Empathetic, caring, and sensitive, they see the places their team needs support the most. They are always ready and willing to put someone else first. They are the only one that still remembers how the world was before the syndicates, and they’ve spent their whole life trying to fix things one way or another. 

~

Finn Dunham, 27: they have the unfortunate gift of having training as a combat medic. It’s unfortunate, they say, because that guarantees they’ll always be farthest from danger, waiting to patch up the team whenever they get hurt. They want nothing more but to be in the thick of the action.

~

Ellis Price, 34: Finn’s partner. They have no family left but the team. When Ellis’s family was gunned down by the Stormbecks, they vowed to do whatever they had to in order to bring the syndicates to justice. They hide their pain under a mask of sarcasm and snark but will fight you if you threaten their team. 

~

Tori Nasser, 33: Tori was involved in the resistance movements with Gray years ago. Now she runs a safehouse, helping out victims of the syndicates and trying to keep innocent people safe. She enjoys her quiet life under the radar. When she answers Gray’s call and lets the team into her protection, she has no idea what they bring to her doorstep… good, and bad.

~

Joseph Stormbeck, 51 (at the time of Honor Bound): Fourteen years before the start of Honor Bound, Vera was assigned to infiltrate Joseph’s syndicate. As the head of his family, he didn’t take kindly to the police snooping around his business. Rather than kill Vera outright, he decided to capture her and torment her for months. Suave, patient, and wildly sadistic, he became the subject of her nightmares when she’s asleep, and awake.

~

Ryan Pearson, 24 (at the time of the Vera series): Fourteen years before the start of Honor Bound, Ryan joined Joseph’s syndicate for safety, purpose, and most importantly, a job. When he was assigned night shift guard duty for Vera, he figured it was going to be an easy paycheck, babysitting an easy captive. He had no way of knowing the consequences of that assignment.

~

Colleen Stormbeck, 49 (at the time of Honor Bound 2): Colleen lives as one of the top syndicate members, in control of one of the biggest regions in the shattered country. She loves her husband and her son more than anything else in the world. When her husband is taken from her and her son nearly dies (again) at Vera’s hand, she decides to exercise her power as a Stormbeck to set the world right again: by hunting down and destroying Isaac and his team. She would do anything to maintain her family’s status and power, and there’s no one she wouldn’t cut down who got in her way.

~

Edrissa Clarke, 18: Edrissa has lived for the past 2 years as a syndicate plaything. Only her own spirit and the hope of seeing her brother again kept her alive. When the team rescues her during her own sale to another syndicate, she has no choice but to stay with the team for her safety, and theirs. She has no idea what she’s found in the family when they take her in.

~

Daniel Schiester, 42 (at the time of Honor Bound 2): he is the mysterious mayor of Crayton, the town that holds the line for the north. He has a grudge against the syndicates and takes particular interest in Gavin. He oversees the protection and safety of the refugees that come into his care both to make up for his dark past, and to carry out his own version of justice in the present.

~

Zachariah Medina, 18 (at the time of Honor Bound 3): Zachariah grew up in Fort Meyers, and he learned young that it was either work for the syndicates, or starve. When he gets a job at the Stormbeck household as a security guard, it is a relief. That relief is quickly replaced with horror as he realizes the implications of having to protect the Stormbecks - and who he’s forced to hurt in the process.

~

Cast faceclaims/fancasts here, here, here

Honor Bound playlist here

Isaac moodboard, Finn/Ellis moodboard, Vera moodboard, Gavin moodboard,  Isaac/Gavin moodboard,  Isaac/Gavin in captivity moodboard

Art from others:

Moodboards:

Moodboards by @orchidscript: Sam/Isaac/Gavin and Tori/Vera

Moodboards by @newbornwhumperfly: Gavin Stormbeck Uriah, Isaac and Sam, Gavin/Isaac book 3 & 4, Gavin/Isaac book 5 & 6, Tori/Vera, Gray Uriah, Daniel Schiester, Vera

Moodboards by @newandfiguringitout: Gavin and Isaac captivity, Isaac, Sam, Gavin, Ellis, Vera, Isaac and Sam, Isaac/Gavin

Art:

Commissions by @albino-whumpee: Isaac/Gavin, Isaac and Sam, HMS ToriVera, Isaac/Gavin book 6

Commissions by @boxboysandotherwhump​​: Isaac/Gavin book 6, Gavin’s nightmare, Isaac, Gavin, and Sam book 6

Commission by @erissa002​: Vera

Commission by @luckydanart​: Sam in book 3, Isaac/Gavin in book 4

Gavin Uriah then/now by @who-needs-a-life-anyways​

Nata the cat (?) and Zelda the dog (!), Gavin takes the trash out, the team meets Tom Bombadil by @burtlederp​

The end of the Stormbecks by @mostlyjustwhump​

The family by @my-whumpy-little-heart

Isaac/Gavin by @luckydanart​

Music and more:

Gavin Stormbeck Uriah playlist, Isaac Moore playlist by @newbornwhumperfly​

The Honor Bound Season 1 Episode 1 TV pilot of my dreams by @butwhatifyouwrite

Trouble expected to spend… maybe two hours at the science museum. They ended up staying through each overhead announcement counting down the museum closing, speeding Dee around in his wheelchair to each exhibit, until security specifically asked them to leave at 6:02PM. They wound their way through the ancient Egypt exhibit, and ate lunch in the ocean-themed cafeteria with soggy pizza to match. Dee stared, wide-eyed, at the dioramas of different animals and terrains all around the world. 

The thing that made him stop and reach back, grasping Trouble’s wrist with strength he hadn’t yet shown in the days they’d known each other, was the massive brachiosaurus skeleton that greeted them when they first entered the museum. He stared up at it in wonder, his mouth open. His eyes had shone with tears the longer he stared. 

“Oh,” he sighed. “Is that–”

“A dinosaur,” Trouble said. “They’re the things that used to live on earth. Millions of years ago, I guess.”

“So they don’t… live anymore?” Dee whispered, sounding absolutely crushed. 

“No,” Trouble said. “But they have a whole exhibit for them. You want to start there?”

“N-no.” Dee released Trouble’s wrist. “Let’s… let’s save it for last.” 

They didn’t, though. They went through after lunch. And then again, before the museum closed. They also went through the gift shop, and Dee picked out a tiny plastic model T-rex, a stuffed dilophosaurus, and a necklace with a triceratops dangling from a silver chain. Then they went right back into the museum to go to the space exhibit, where Dee stood up out of his wheelchair to press his nose to the glass separating him from the replica of the lunar module. The woman standing next to him shrieked and stared at the wheelchair. Trouble bared his teeth at her. 

Now, they both sat on the same side of a booth, and Trouble was about to introduce Dee to a brand new earth experience: Waffle House food. 

Never mind that it was still a little light out. The poor thing wasn’t going to be awake much longer, and it’s not like he knew any better about Waffle House being best at three in the morning. 

Dee stared at the menu. His eyes skipped over the stark yellow and black page and kept returning to Trouble. He chewed his lip and tucked himself a little closer to his side. 

“What… what do you get here?” he murmured. 

“Well,” Trouble said thoughtfully, running his fingers over his sweating water cup. “I’m usually not sober enough to really remember. But uh…” He frowned thoughtfully. “I guess it would be a good bet to get the waffles at a Waffle House.”

“For dinner?” Dee breathed. 

“Oh, yeah, darling,” Trouble said as he planted a kiss between Dee’s eyebrows. “Breakfast for dinner is one of life’s great pleasures. The waffles are good. Maybe some eggs, too? And bacon? Keep it simple?”

“Simple,” Dee said, nodding as his eyes skipped over the menu once again. “Simple. Yeah. I…”

“It’s a lot,” Trouble whispered as he leaned in close. “All the choices. Once you get out. Right?”

“Right,” Dee huffed in relief. He curled into Trouble’s side and jumped when the waitress approached the table. Trouble rubbed his back and leaned in, grinning at her. She seemed entirely unimpressed. 

“What can I get you?” she said, making a precise scribble in her notepad. 

Trouble stole a glance at her nametag. “Evening… Brenda.” She returned his look with an even stare. “We’ll take two chocolate chip waffles, two eggs over easy, and two sides of bacon.”

She nodded, jotting it down. “Anything else to drink besides water?”

“No, thank you,” Trouble said with a smile. 

She nodded and slapped the order onto the queue over the stove. Trouble took a long sip of his water. “You doing okay, little one?” he said softly. 

“Y-yes,” Dee murmured. “Yes, I’m… I’m just…” His eyes widened as the grill spat with the addition of more eggs and hashbrowns. “Overwhelmed, I think.” 

“We can go somewhere else,” Trouble said, his hand moving back and forth across Dee’s thigh. “It’s alright, love. We can go someplace quieter, or go back to the hotel room. You don’t have to–”

“No,” Dee said, seizing Trouble’s hand. “Please. I want to stay. I do. Please, can we stay?” 

His eyes were so wide. His inhuman pupils only enhanced the appearance - and he looked for all the world like he was begging. 

Trouble’s hackles raised. How the FUCK did those monsters ever hurt you? How did they ENJOY it? That horrible throbbing had begun under his skin again, the urge to bite, to hurt, to tear and rip until the scraps were scattered to the four corners of–

“Trouble?” Dee breathed. “I’m… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to compla–”

“Hey, you,” Trouble said, kissing Dee between his creased brows. “That’s enough of that. I’m not mad, little one.” When Trouble held him close, he could feel the demon shaking. 

“Okay,” he whispered. “I love you.” 

Another kiss, this one to the demon’s temple. “Love you, too, sweet boy.” 

They both jumped as Brenda set the plates of steaming food down in front of them. Dee stared at the spread. Trouble’s stomach rumbled. It had been a while since he’d had a good waffle. 

“Y’all need anything else?” Brenda said, eyeing the booth next to them. Four men had just sat down, and they all looked about as drunk as Trouble expected a typical Waffle House patron to be. 

“I don’t think so. You’re the best,” Trouble said, flashing her another toothy grin. She cracked a smile in return. 

Dee already had a bite of the waffle sawed off and poised at his mouth. “Chocolate in the waffles?” he murmured, as if to himself.

“It’ll change your life,” Trouble said, grabbing a slice of bacon. Everything was perfect. He passed Dee the jug of syrup and showed him how to pour it over the waffle. 

Dee groaned softly with each bite. He devoured what was on his plate. Trouble was close behind him. It made him happy to see the demon had an appetite - but that only fueled more rage. 

The demon could eat for all those years. They just didn’t feed him, because they didn’t fucking feel like it. They deprived him of so much. Even food. Even this.

The angels couldn’t get any deader. The knowledge was a constant, inexplicable ache. 

Dee mopped up the rest of the syrup on his plate with his last slice of bacon, then licked his fingers clean. Trouble could feel him purring against his arm. 

“Good?” he murmured.

“Mmmm,” Dee sighed. 

“Hey, bitch, we just ran out of syrup,” came the drawling voice from the booth next to them. Trouble and Dee both froze. 

Brenda, face as placid as frozen lake, glanced up at the men mid-order at another booth. “I’ll get y’all more, once you get a civil tongue in your head,” she said evenly. 

One of the men staggered out of the booth and stood. Trouble felt his bloodshot gaze land on the syrup on their table. He drew in a nice, slow breath and pushed it out. 

He could eat. He wasn’t quite hungry, but he could eat. He could always eat. But… not now. Not while he was out with Dee. Not while Dee was still so… fragile. But it seemed that there would be an endless supply of men like this, didn’t it? Boorish, rude, violent, unsafe. Trouble didn’t think he could get through them all if he lived a thousand years. 

Because they were always making more. Always more men. It would never end, so long as there were more men.

This man in particular stared at the syrup bottle on Trouble’s table. “Whatever,” he grumbled. “I’ll get it myself.” He lurched forward, hand grasping. 

Dee moved so fast Trouble barely saw the bite. He struck like a snake; there was no paralyzed restraint now. The man shrieked and yanked back his hand, blood streaming from the crescent of human tooth marks, with two deep puncture wounds where the canines would have been. Dee’s pupils were vicious slits as he stared up at the man who howled and cradled his bleeding hand to his chest. 

Trouble stared at the syrup bottle, dumbfounded. He couldn’t explain how the demon had been too afraid to bite a few days ago, when he’d thought his life was in danger. He hadn’t bitten the man who cornered him and nearly raped him in the bar. But this - someone trying to take the syrup bottle - had been enough. 

He glanced around. People were muttering. People were looking.

He pushed Dee out of the booth and practically dragged him to the cash register. “R-ready to pay,” he mumbled. He didn’t have the receipt. Luckily, the person at the register seemed to know which table he meant. He scribbled down a $500 tip and rushed out the door with Dee.

The demon’s breathing was harsh, sobs wracking him as Trouble pulled him out onto the street. They walked a block before Trouble yanked him into an alley and cradled his face. Dee flinched away with a whimper. Trouble ducked into his line of sight.

“Hey, little demon,” he murmured. “Hey, you. It’s okay. We’re okay. It’s… I’m sorry. I just needed to get us out of here. You okay? Are you…? What happened?” 

Dee’s eyes were huge in the dark as he looked at Trouble. “Am I…? Trouble I’m… I’m sorry, I, I shouldn’t have, I’m sorry, I just… it’s just that I, I didn’t mean to, Trouble, I just didn’t want him to, I didn’t, I’m sorry…” 

“It’s okay.” Trouble wiped away Dee’s tears. “It’s okay. What did you not want him to do?” This can’t be just about the syrup. 

Dee gulped. “I… I saw him reaching, and I… I’m sorry. I thought he was… I was confused. I thought he was grabbing at you.” 

Trouble blinked. “At… me?” 

Dee nodded miserably. When Trouble opened his arms, Dee pressed his face into Trouble’s chest with a sob. 

“I gotcha,” Trouble said. “I gotcha, little one. It’s okay. We’re okay. Let’s get back to the hotel, yeah? And we’ll take it easy for the night. We’ll just take it slow.” 

“Yes, please,” Dee said with a sniffle. “That would be… would be nice.” 

Trouble tucked Dee under his arm and pulled out his phone to get a Lyft. As they waited for it, he replayed the sight of the man’s blood dripping onto the table over and over again in his head.